Paper feeding apparatus has been known and used in the past for feeding fan-folded paper into, through and out of a printer for high-speed printing of the paper. Generally, such apparatus has been complex in construction and requires a considerable amount of space. Typical of this type of apparatus are the structures shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,607 to Ziegler and U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,689 to Ringer.
Ziegler shows a paper feeding assembly in which a table 3 (FIG. 1) has a lower shelf 18 for receiving and supporting a supply of paper. The paper is fed from the supply upwardly along the dashed lines shown in FIG. 1, around a printer 21, then up and over a series of rods 5 through a passage defined by numeral 8 and then onto a guide lever 11 which is pivotal on the support and is the support for the processed paper in a fan-folded condition.
Ringer shows several embodiments of a paper supporting and feeding assembly. In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the paper is supported on upper shelf 12 and is collected on a lower shelf 14. FIG. 2 shows the path of the paper from the stack of paper on the upper shelf 12, the paper feeding over an upper curved edge 18 then downwardly and beneath a second curved edge 14 and then to a printer 24, out of the printer and into fan-folded condition on lower shelf 14.
FIG. 6 of Ringer shows another view of the way in which paper is fed from the upper shelf, through the printer and into a lower shelf.
FIG. 7-11 show another embodiment in Ringer of the assembly which comprise a number of shelves 12, 14 and 42 (FIG. 7). Paper is fed from a box 31 on the upper shelf 12, over the upper edge 18, then downwardly beneath the lower edge and into a printer 24 and then back into a fan-folded condition on a shelf therebelow.
In view of the complexity of paper handling devices on up until the present time, a need exists for improvements in paper handling devices which are simple and rugged in construction and inexpensive to produce and maintain as well as to simplify the structure such that any unskilled person can use the device. The present invention satisfies this need.